A former IRA intelligence chief says he will give evidence at the fresh Birmingham pub bombings inquests - but only if he receives assurances he will not be prosecuted. Kieran Conway, now a solicitor in his native Dublin, played no part in the bombings.

But last year he revealed details of an internal IRA disciplinary hearing.Mr Conway said he was present at the de-briefing of the then mainland heads of the IRA who were summoned to a house in Dublin in the aftermath of the Birmingham attacks, which killed 21 people and left almost 200 injured. The IRA commander at the time, Dave O’Connell led the briefing with another man who Mr Conway would not name. Mr Conway, who claims he was there in his new role as intelligence chief, said O’Connell was “absolutely furious” about the attack - which he said was “absolutely not sanctioned and never would have been”. Members of the West Midlands counter-terrorism unit travelled to Dublin to meet him after this exclusive Birmingham Mail interview earlier this year, and provided a list of questions which were put to him by Gardai.

Kieran Conway

Mr Conway has since agreed to the force's request for a second meeting. And last week he welcomed the new inquests and told the Belfast Telegraph he was willing to appear in person or via video link. He said: “I am willing to go to England if the British informally indicate that I won’t be arrested and prosecuted for historic IRA membership.“I am glad the Birmingham families have secured a fresh inquest but I fear that it won’t bring them any comfort. “They understandably want people put behind bars and I don’t believe that is going to happen because the evidence isn’t there.” He said several of the bombers were living in the Republic and their names were well-known and already in the public domain. He added “The only way they will be convicted is if one or more of them walks into a police station and confesses to involvement in the bombings and that isn’t going to happen."Mr Conway, who had two spells in the IRA between 1970 and 1975 and again between 1981 and 1993, previously said he deeply regrets that the bombings happened. Although he played no part in them, he said: “I apologise because I feel I bear a moral responsibility as a former member of the IRA. “I think it was the worst atrocity of the troubles committed by the IRA and I’m deeply, deeply ashamed of it.”